Public schools in Waycross, GA
10 open public schools with an address in Waycross, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
10
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
5,927
10 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.6:1
Georgia median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Waycross public schools
The federal directory lists 10 public schools in Waycross, GA: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high. The 10 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 5,927 students, an average of 593 per school. The largest campus is Ware County High School (1,633 students), and the largest elementary school is Wacona Elementary School (885).
Ware County operates the most schools here (9), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.6:1, lower than the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
About 87% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Waycross
Elementary schools in Waycross
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Elementary School Ware County | KG–05 | 470 | 13.4:1 | |
| Memorial Drive Elementary School Ware County | KG–05 | 346 | 10.8:1 | |
| Ruskin Elementary School Ware County | KG–05 | 363 | 11.8:1 | |
| Wacona Elementary School Ware County | PK–05 | 885 | 18.9:1 | |
| Waresboro Elementary School Ware County | KG–05 | 429 | 12.4:1 | |
| Williams Heights Elementary School Ware County | KG–05 | 436 | 13.3:1 |
Middle schools in Waycross
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ware County Middle School Ware County | 06–08 | 752 | 11.6:1 | |
| Waycross Middle School Ware County | 06–08 | 606 | 12.7:1 |
High schools in Waycross
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ware County High School Ware County | 09–12 | 1,633 | 14.1:1 | |
| Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center Department of Juvenile Justice · Alternative School | 05–12 | 7 | 3.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White44.9%
- Hispanic9.2%
- Black37.8%
- Asian0.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial7%
Enrollment-weighted across 10 Waycross schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (5,927 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Waycross
How many public schools are in Waycross, GA?
The current NCES directory lists 10 open public schools with a location address in Waycross: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high. Together they reported 5,927 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Waycross?
Schools with an address in Waycross belong to 2 education agencies, led by Ware County (9 schools), Department of Juvenile Justice (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Waycross?
Ware County High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Waycross, with 1,633 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Waycross?
No school with an address in Waycross is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Georgia.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Waycross schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Waycross public schools is 12.6:1, lower than the Georgia school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Waycross guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Georgia cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Georgia cities